Intermediate spindle construction for guide belts for partition strip feeder construction



Dec. 6, 1966 D. F. CUNNINGHAM INTERMEDIATE SPINDLE CONSTRUCTION FOR GUIDE BELTS FOR PARTITION STRIP FEEDER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30, 1964 @Q EQ Q @DE Dec. 6, 1966 D. F. CUNNINGHAM 3,290,041

INTERMEDIATE SPINDLE CONSTRUCTION FOR GUIDE BELTS FOR PARTITION STRIP FEEDER CONSTRUCTION Filed June 50, 1964 2 SheeS-Sheet 2 ..-6 A /Z g 4 fz .5 9

com/ffm? TRAVEL ATTORNEYS United States Patent() INTERMEDIATE SPINDLE CONSTRUCTION FOR GUIDE BELTS FOR' PARTITION STRIP FEEDER CONSTRUCTION Donald F. Cunningham, Milwaukee, Wis., assgnor to U.S. Partition & Packaging'Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed June 30, 1964, Ser, No. 379,203 6 Claims. (Cl. 271-9) The present invention'relates generally to the art of partition assembly manufacture, and more particularly to novel construction for more efficiently guiding precut partition strips in their edgewise disposed travel from hoppers towards a partition assembling machine. l

For some years, continuous flexible cords or belts have been employed in conjunction with a continuous conveyor belt for feeding precut partition strips from hoppers to a point of discharge towards the partition assembling machine. Such an arrangement is shownk in applicants United States Patent No. 2,984,480. Partition strips are stacked in at relation in hoppers which, for universal use, must be wide enough to accommodate the deepest .partition strip. As a result, the transverse space occupied by the hoppers is mu-ch greater than the transverse space required at the point of discharge of the partition strips toward an assembling machine. The outermost partition strips must move inwardly from the point of discharge from the hoppers to the point ofv discharge to the assembling machine. Since the supporting belt is moving forwardly in a straight line, there is a tenden-cy of the outer angularly moving partition, strips to strike against the cords and to assume Iangles away from the vertical. On occasion, the tilt is sufficient to bring a-partition strip so far out of line from the vertical as it is about to leave the feeder unit towards the assembling machine that jamming occurs. It is essential that the partition strips be substantially vertical as they leave the feeder unit for proper engagement with the guiding elements which receive them for movement into the assembling zone of the assembling machine. Efforts heretofore made tosolve the existing problem have not been successful in the applicants experience.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide novel partition strip guide structure which solves the problem detailed labove.

In brief, the present novel partition strip guiding structure includes pairs of idler spindles adapted to be mounted in depending positions abovethe partition strip conveyor belt of a partition strip feeder mechanism intermediate the front and rear spindles thereof,v andare adjustable transversely of the belt. Two'vertically spaced flexible cords are trained aroundeach depending spindle and -the corresponding front spindle of the feeder mechanism and two vertically spaced flexible cords are trained around said each depending spindle and the corresponding rear spindle of the feeder mechanism. The depending spindles are located to bring the cords between them and the spindles at the rear or discharge end at least close to a parallel relationship with the line of movement of the conveyor belt.

Therefore, another object is to provide novel guide structure for improvingthe path of movement of an out- Wardly disposed 4partition strip of a group which insures movement of the partition strip in substantially vertical edgewise position as it approaches the discharge end of a partition strip feeder mechanism.

Other objects are to provide novel partition feeding structure for partition strip feeder mechanism which can be readily applied to existing feeder machines employing flexible cords, which can be readily adjusted transversely 3,290,041 Patented Dec. 6, 19566 "ice of a feeder mechanism and applied to selected pairs of cords, which is durable and long lasting thereby reducing maintenance to a minimum, which can be employed eficiently and effectively with minimum instruction and by attendant personnel with minimum mechanical skill, and which otherwise fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are apparent from the following description taken with the 'accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a plan'view of a'portion of the partition strip conveyor belt and guiding cords of a partition feeder mechanism, partition strip guiding structure incorporating the teachings of the present invention being operatively assembled therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of they structure of FIGURE 1, portions bcingbroken yaway for illustration of detail;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, vertical -cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, vertical, longitudinal crosssectional view taken on substantially the line 4-4 of FIGURE l, the upright being broken away for conservation ofvspace;

vFIGURE 5 is an enlarged, vertical longitudinal crosssectional view taken on substantially the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical, transverse cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

j FIGURE 7 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional View taken on substantially the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6; FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 7, the cords being omitted, illustrating a modified spindle construction;

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view showing a pair of outwardly disposed, flexible cords as employed prior to the applicants invention; and

FIGURE 10 isa diagrammatic "view showing a cord construction employing the present invention.

Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, 15 indicates generally a partition strip guiding structure incorporating the principles of the present invention which is operatively mounted upon a partition strip feeder mechanism 16, fragments only of the latter being illustrated. Reference is made to the applicants United States Patent No. 2,984,480, which shows a partition strip feeder mechanism of the general type with which the present invention is concerned.

The feeder mechanism 16 includes side channel frame members 18 which support a continuous conveyor belt 19 on which partition strips 20 travel in the direction of the arrows A. Pairs of idlerV spindles `22 having multiple, vertically spaced grooves are mounted towards the hopper end of the conveyor belt 19, as shown. Power driven pairs of spindles 23 are rotatably mounted at the discharge end of the'conveyor belt 19. There are the same number of spindles 22 and 23. Two vertically spaced continuous exible cords 25 are trained about each opposed pair of spindles 22, 23 of each of the second, third and fourth set of four spindles, counting from the top down in FIG- URE 1 (FIGS. 1 and 3). This is the structure of the prior art.

The present novel partition strip guiding structure 15 includes opposed vetrical uprights 30 which are mounted Von the channel frame members 18 by suitable screws 31.

A transversely disposed elongated bar 32 is mounted on the upper ends of the uprights 30 by means of straps 33 and screws 34. Brackets 36 of the configuration shown particularly in FIGURES 5-7 are mounted on the bar 32 by means of a plate 37 and screws 38. Upon loosening of the screws 38, the brackets 36 may be moved along the bar 32 to selected positions. Each bracket 36 includes two `integral posts 40 having a bore therethrough. A shaft'V 41 having a head 42 extends through the bore of each post 40 and supports a bearing sleeve 43 with which roller or ball bearings may be used and a spindle 44 having multiple spaced annular grooves 45. A nut 46 and washer 47 maintain the shaft 41 in position. The spindle 44 is freely rotatable on the bearing sleeve 43. A pair of of spindles 44 is illustrated as disposed between each of the rst, fifth and sixth sets of opposed pairs of spindles 22 and 23 (FIG. l). A pair of vertically spaced cords 47 is trained .around each spindle 44 and opposed spindle 23, and a pair of vertically spaced cords 48 is trained about each spindle 44 and the opposed spindle 22, as is clear from FIGURES 2, 3 and 5-7. Thus, two short cords 47 and 48 replace a single cord 25. In FIGURES 9 and 10, the comparative relationship of the prior art single flexible cords 25 and the flexible cords 47 and 48 is clearly illustrated.

In FIGURE 8, there is disclosed a modified spindle 50 which is of solid construction and includes vertically spaced annular grooves 51 and an integral mounting shaft 52 which is mounted in a ball bearing unit 53 and retained against removal by a nut 54. The bearing unit 53 is disposed within a cup 55 formed integral with the bracket 36.

It is clear that the present partition strip guiding structure is effective to direct or guide partition strips 20 into a substantially parallel relationship with the conveyor belt 19 well prior to discharge from the latter. It has been found that the short travel along the angular guide cords 48 is not sufficient to permit the partition strips 20 to tilt substantially. In addition, the short cords 48 do not afford the play which exists in the longer cords 25. Therefore, with the present invention, the partition strips reach the spindles 23 in substantially vertical positions' and are received therebetween and propelled towards an adjacent assembling machine without jamming or other mishap. It is manifest that jamming of a partition strip 20 at the spindles 23 would necessitate shutdown of the feeder mechanism 16 and the associated assembling machine, causing lost time, destruction of some partition strips at the jam, and replacement of a partition strip in those partition assemblies formed without the missing strip. The structure 15 prevents such loss.

It is apparent that there has been provided a novel partition strip guiding structure which fullls the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description 1and the accompanying drawing have been given by .way of illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a partition strip feeder mechanism including a conveyor belt for edgewise disposed partition strips, longitudinally opposed spaced pairs of spindles mounted on the feeder mechanism, flexible cords trained "and maintaining invertical positions conveyed alignedv partition strips for a predetermined segment of travel, a pair of supplemental spindles disposed between at least one opposed pair of spindles offset transversely inwardly towards the longitudinal centerline of said feeder mechanism from straight lines between said opposed spindles, a pair of vertically spa-ced flexible cords trained around each intermediate spindle and one opposed end spindle,V

said cord reaches being substantially parallel to the path of movement of said conveyor belt, and a pair of vertically spaced flexible cords trained around each intermediate spindle and the other opposed spindle.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which a plurality of pairs of intermediate supplemental spindles and cords are operatively disposed between longitudinally opposed spaced pairs of spindles.

3. The combination of yclaim 1 in which said intermediate supplemental spindles are adjustable transversely of the conveyor belt.

4. An attachment for mounting on a partition strip feeder mechanism having a partition strip conveyor belt Iand a plurality of longitudinally opposed transversely spaced pairs of spindles supporting elongated endless cords, some of which converge towards the feed-off end of the conveyor belt, comprising a guiding structure for vertically disposed longitudinally moving partition strips including a support adapted to be mounted on such a feeder me-chanism in transversely bridging relation to the partition strip conveyor belt thereof, at least a cooperative pair of auxiliary spindles mounted on said support and depending therefrom and adapted to be disposed intermediate selected longitudinally opposed pairs of spindles of such -a feeder mechanism, each spindle being of a form to receive one end of each of a plurality of Ashort endless cords trained therearound, and at least two short endless cords trained around each spindle land extending therefrom in substantially opposite directions, said short endless cords being adapted to be trained around selected opposed pairs of permanent spindles of such a feeder mechanism to decrease the angle of feed-off of conveyed edgewise disposed partition strips.

5. The attachment of claim 4 including a plurality of pairs of auxiliary spindles and at least two short endless cords trained around each spindle and extending therefrom in substantially opposite directions.

6. The attachment of claim 4 in which said spindles are adjustable along said support.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 594,433 11/1897 Sheldon 211-182 X 1,958,341 5/1934 Hurxthall 198--165 2,027,451 1/1936 Rooney 226-194 X 2,795,312 6/1957 Howdle 198-165 X 2,984,480 5/1961 Cunningham 271-9 3,018,935 1/1962 Maddock 226-190 M. HENsoN'wooD, JR., Primary Examiner. I. N. ERLICH, Assistant Examiner, 

1. IN COMBINATION, A PARTITION STRIP FEEDER MECHANISM INCLUDING A CONVEYOR BELT FOR EDGEWISE DISPOSED PARTITION STRIPS, LONGITUDINALLY OPPOSED SPACED PAIRS OF SPINDLES MOUNTED ON THE FEEDER MECHANISM, FLEXIBLE CORDS TRAINED AROUND SELECTED PAIRS OF SAID OPPOSED SPINDLES FOR GUIDING AND MAINTAINING IN VERTICAL POSITIONS CONVEYED ALIGNED PARTITION STRIPS FOR A PREDETERMINED SEGMENT OF TRAVEL, A PAIR OF SUPPLEMENTAL SPINDLES DISPOSED BETWEEN AT LEAST ONE OPPOSED PAIR OF SPINDLES OFFSET TRANSVERSELY INWARDLY TOWARDS THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF SAID FEEDER MECHANISM FROM STRAIGHT LINES BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED SPINDLES, A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED FLEXIBLE CORDS TRAINED AROUND EACH INTERMEDIATE SPINDLE AND ONE OPPOSED END SPINDLE, SAID CORD REACHES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYOR BELT, AND A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED FLEXIBLE CORDS TRAINED AROUND EACH INTERMEDIATE SPINDLE AND THE OTHER OPPOSED SPINDLE. 